No change in tiredness with a deficit in her quality of sleep. The muscles in her stomach seized and the final remains of what was once her breakfast joined their kin in the toilet bowl. She shivered. The nausea had been persistent throughout her stay at Beacon, but this was the first time it had gotten the best of her. A flush of the commode, and she was back to sitting against the wall with her eyes closed. She rose before breakfast earlier than usual, due in no small part to the strange dream she vaguely remembered having. She couldn't go so far as to call it a nightmare, having found herself jostled awake more from unrest than from terror, but the result was ultimately the same. And despite the tiredness she felt upon waking, she couldn't get back to sleep no matter how much she willed it. Instead she chose to start her day, the last day she would spend at Beacon. It wasn't too much earlier than when she normally rose, but it was just enough of a difference that she could ready herself and gather her things for her departure. She took a mildly generous shower, dousing herself with a frigid spray to attack her exhaustion at its source before she adjusted the temperature to nearly scald away any that was left behind. She was successful, mostly. Having spent most of her stay in flannel pajama bottoms and various band tshirts, she opted this morning for a pair of jeans, canvas sneakers, and a plain black shirt under her usual cardigan. She shivered again, the chill inside as pervasive as ever. Feeling less inclined to retch again, she stood and brushed her teeth again before she made her way from the bathroom, grabbing her phone from the desk and collapsing back onto the bed. She had a half an hour or so before she was to see Dr. Ozpin. And after, she would be discharged. Rolling over, she finished pecking out a reply to Ruby.

'Come spend time with me today. I still need to introduce you to Portishead.'

With her reply sent, she closed her eyes, curling into herself a bit as she rode a gentle wave of nausea back to shore. She was still a little tired, but her continued activity this morning kept it at bay enough for her to keep chugging along. Her phone vibrates in her hand and she peels her eyes open to read Ruby's reply.

'The band that's like Redrum? Oh, and I have a surprise for you!'

'That's the one. I still can't believe you've never listened to them. What's the surprise?'

'It's a secret, duh O wO ' She smiled.

'Looking forward to it.'

Content to leave their conversation for the time being, she took notice of the time and rose to go meet with Dr. Ozpin. Shuffling along as she was, she couldn't help having the slightest bounce in her step. Despite the time she spent here being generally pleasant, she was ready to be rid of this place. Despite her experience, there were constant reminders around that reminded her of where she was and why she was truly there. People she gleaned had been there thrice as long as she had, and here they were remaining after she left. People who couldn't roam as freely as she was allowed to, though even with this privilege, she was still part of the focus of a collection of watchful and discerning eyes. The fifth floor despite its progressive nature, and she was still here, very much so for reasons. The door she approached was invitingly ajar as always. Raising her hand, she knocked.

"Come in," the easy voice came. "Good morning, Ms. Schnee," Dr. Ozpin said with smile as she came to sit across from him, greeting her during her stay for the last time.

"Good morning, Dr. Ozpin," she said, smiling in return.

"I'm sure you are quite looking forward to going home today. As such, I will keep our time today concise, a debriefing of sorts, and get you well on your way. Sound good?"

"I think that's more than agreeable."

"Very well then. But as always, how are you feeling today, Ms. Schnee?"

"Excited, but I'm sure that goes without saying," she laughed. "Aside from that, the tiredness I talked to you about persisted this morning and there was a change in my quality of sleep. The nausea I've experienced also got the better of me today. Overall, I've felt generally sluggish. More so than most days."

"I see," Dr. Ozpin responded before taking a moment to think over what she had told him. "The slight change in dosage of your medication last night may attributed some causation, but I am unable to say to what extent with a favorable degree of certainty. The course of action that we can take is to keep the dosage the same to see if it normalizes, or revert to the previous dosage."

"I honestly can't say which would be preferable given that I haven't had much time for this all to settle, so I'll leave it to your discretion."

"Very well," he confirmed before pulling forth a folder. "I have already called in your prescriptions to your pharmacy. They include the lower dosage. Preferring to have your medication as readily available as possible, as well as preferring to commit to a solid regiment in order to ascertain its effectiveness as a maintenance treatment, we will adhere to the lower dosage while leaving the others unchanged."

"That's fine. This is the trial and error of it all you described, correct?"

"Correct. But I want you to remember that you are an agent in your treatment, Ms. Schnee. Any and every misgiving you have about your medication I want you to bring to my attention so that I can better tailor your care."

"I understand," she agreed. The remaining time was spent much in the same manner as Dr. Ozpin went over the medications she would be taking in greater detail. As concise as all of the information was, the volume of it seemed a daunting whirlwind that left her a passenger in its wake. She was unable to do more than confirm she'd heard the information with monosyllabic inserts. Three medications. Two in the morning, one to help stabilize her mood and another to more specifically curb her mania, and one at night to curb the depression. Having it all fleshed out for her like that sparked a bit of anxiety in her, a thin lining, yet it was there. It was strange, that all this was necessary in keeping her from regressing into a terrible and incorrigible child, that something in her brain was so fractured that a mild cocktail of medication was needed to force it into cohesion. She wondered about her mother and an equally thin line of fear stirred in her as well. She wondered briefly where it was her life would lead, before pulling herself from the train of thought and back to the conversation.

"Lastly, I want to go over some key pieces of information when it comes to taking your medication. Maintaining a fairly regimented schedule is of great importance. Taking your medication daily and at a scheduled time is imperative. If you miss a dose for any reason, take it as soon as you can unless it is closer to the end of the day, in which case take the dose as prescribed the following day. Good habits when it comes to sleeping and eating are also important to establish. While your medication will help with bringing you balance, it can not account for every chemical shift that occurs within the brain. As such, getting adequate sleep and nourishing yourself well will help stave off the shifts that can occur when one doesn't rest enough or take in enough sustenance. Finally, I highly suggest, if not urge you to abstain from partaking in alcoholic beverages." She tuned in firmly at Dr. Ozpin's last suggestion. "Alcohol and other substances are known to not only cause shifts in our brains, but they are often used by people suffering from bipolar disorder as a form of self-medication, diagnosed or otherwise. Mixing alcohol into the chemical equation can be a Pandora's Box of reactions and I tend towards advocating against its use when taking medications for psychiatric illnesses."

"Duly noted," she replied. She found the logic very sound given her past tendencies to try and inebriate herself into oblivion during her more tumultuous times. "I suppose I have been one to self medicate.. but I see no reasoning in doing so now given where this has all landed me." A nod and a hum from Dr. Ozpin before he continued.

"Alas, that is all that I have for you today. Do you have any more questions?"

"No. This had been fairly information rich. I think I'll need time going over it all before I happen upon anything I need elaborated out."

"Fair enough. Well, Ms. Schnee, it has been quite the pleasure. I'll see you Thursdays at two, but in the interim, I wish you well." He smiled at her, a genuine and paternal smile. One that she couldn't help from returning.

"Thank you, Dr. Ozpin," she started as she stood to leave. "For everything."

"Until next time."

"Until next time," she repeated, and with that, her time at Beacon came to a close. She felt like she was breathing new air as she made her way down the hall to retrieve her bag. Though she was still a bit tired, she felt something in the core of her that was reinvigorated, and something in her mind that was more stilled than not for a change. She had the ability to observe her thoughts as opposed to having them hastily assault her without remorse. She felt generally less irritable, significantly less angry, and she hadn't cried in sheer anguish in days upon days. She set her eyes on one of those black and white photographs as she started to descend the stairs, setting herself a mental reminder to ask Dr. Ozpin who took them when she came to see him next week. Eyes forward as she reached the ground floor, they locked onto two of her most cherished people in the world.

"Hey!" Ruby waved eagerly as she quickly approached her before tangling them together in one of her precarious hugs that left her feeling more grounded than before. She gave her a final squeeze before she pulled away, eyes brilliant, smile effortless, and hair..

"Red tips.."

"Yeah! It was a bit of a spontaneous decision, but I figured why not? I used to dye them all the time, so I decided to bring it back." She accented her whimsy with a laugh.

"I think it suits you," she credited as she noticed her sister joining them from her more reserved pace. "Where did you find this one?" Winter scooped her into a hug, bound her with love in her embrace.

"It's more accurate to say that she found me after repeatedly tying up my line." She laughed at that, leaning into her sister's steady embrace. "You seem a little pale," Winter observed as they broke away from each other.

"I had a little trouble keeping breakfast down this morning, but it's passed," she confessed. "And as much as I've liked subjecting myself to dark magic, I'm quite looking forward to going home." Winter laughed.

"Let's be on our way then. I have to sign a few more things at the desk, but I will meet you at the car shortly."

"Yes, yes," she waved Winter off with a laugh before shouldering her bag and turning to her friend. "Hey," how she didn't know she could grow to miss someone so much in a day's absence, "let's peel out of here."

"Let's do it!" The sun was warm, heat mild due to the steady breeze that rattled the leaves and caressed her skin, whisking away the chill that settled in her earlier. And here she was. As pleasant as her current circumstances were, she still felt at a bit of a crossroads, and as much as she tried to stave it off, the anxiety came back to thinly line her present moment. "Do you want to ride in the back with me?" She was startled slightly from her left. Ruby was smiling across from her.

"Sure." Ruby opened the right passenger door for her before rounding the car. She slid into the seat before depositing her bag into the front. Ruby took her place beside her shortly after. Closing her eyes, she rested her head on the cushion behind her.

"How are you feeling?" Ruby inquired gently.

"I'm fine," she said as she opened her eyes to affirm that to Ruby with eye contact and a smile. "Just a little tired. Sleep was a little strange last night." She stole a glance at Ruby's hand on the seat. Her heart's pace quickened ever so slightly. Ruby opened her mouth to say something, but the driver door opened, cutting off what she was meaning to say.

"We'll stop by the pharmacy and then head home, okay Weiss?" Winter was already starting the car.

"That's fine." The car stirred into motion shortly after and her journey home was underway. Ruby was saying something to the left of her, and she was mostly engaged in the conversation, but the twists and turns of the ride were starting to revive some of her nausea from earlier. She closed her eyes and tried to focus more on Ruby's voice to help in her willing it away. The familiar chime of Winter receiving a call through the car's speaker broke into her attempts.

"Yes, Whitley," her sister answered and her stomach dropped.

"If you haven't finished that book Winter, I'm going to watch the movie without you." This was familiar to her, his and Winter's book club. She'd participate occasionally, not finding the patience for reading in herself too often, but would often sit with them and watch the movie adaptations of the book they had been reading. Well, as often as her and Whitley's present position on each other allowed. Her and Whitley's relationship had definitely deteriorated over the years. At times they could take each other's company, their interactions akin to what they were during times long past, but equally as often, if not more often, old wounds would flare up, her.. illness would take hold, and they would be back at odds. His sudden, non-physical presence was agitating her anxiety and her nausea.

"I have a few chapters before I'm finished. Surely you can wait another day," Winter laughed.

'I advise you to stop what you're doing and finish it so we can discuss it. The author really brings the entire story to a great conclusion."

"Curious.. but it will have to wait. I just picked up Weiss from Beacon and am en route to the home." She felt Whitley skip a singular beat before he continued, just as she was sure he felt her heart skip the same beat. As twins, the primal connection they shared was ever present, binding, but it had been frayed over time causing certain severances here and there that were painful to her in a place she couldn't touch to soothe. A part of her was almost sure he felt those untouchable pains too. Almost. The tether still carried information between them despite its current state and she had lost some of her fluency in that language over time. The unknown thing that transmitted between them in that beat turned her stomach. She had to close her eyes to keep herself from retching on the floor of Winter's car as her heart's pace quickened more.

'I suppose I'll leave you to it then. But if I don't hear back from you tomorrow afternoon about the book, I know what I'm watching before bed, dear sister.'

"I didn't know you had a brother," Ruby whispered to her over her sister's reply. She simply smiled and nodded, having to keep her mouth closed for fear of her body betraying her.

'Call me later, Winter,' Whitley finished, eliciting a hum of confirmation from her sister as she pulled into a parking space and the call disconnected.

"I'll be back shortly," Winter imparted before she exited the car.

"Hey," she called to Ruby, an attempt to find an anchor. "Do you have your earbuds?"

"I do," she saw Ruby smile. "Gonna show me Tortoisehead?"

"Portishead," she laughed, "but yes." She pulled out her phone and queued up the album Dummy as Ruby handed her the cord. Their hands brushed and she lamented the loss of the touch as it passed. Settling back as the album started she closed her eyes and lost herself to the music. Winter returned halfway through the second song and started them on the final stretch home. The music pulsed in her ear, reigning her heart in with it and bringing her down to a more relaxed state. In her trance she stole another glance at Ruby's hand as her index finger kept time and rhythm on the seat. Her head was bobbing ever so slightly, the slow tempo of the song restricting her to doing it in a certain way that was entrancing as she gazed out the window, newly red locks dancing as they were backlit by the sun. Her finger twitched a little in her sudden desire to hold her hand, but before she could gather the courage to perform such a blatant gesture, the car was angling to a stop along Peabody Avenue. She paused the music and received Ruby's earbud from her, again lamenting the separation, before wrapping the wires around her phone and gathering her bag to exit. "Finally."

"Welcome home," Winter said behind her as she went to sit at the island. Ruby slid into the seat across from her as Winter joined them. A feeling of ease washed over her that satiated a thirst she didn't know she had. She was nearly quenched. Winter sat a bag in front of her. "I'll leave this with you. There are a couple of calls I need to make, but afterward I can put together a late lunch if either of you are up for it."

"That'd be great. Thank you!" Ruby was eager to accept and happily gracious.

"Thanks. I think I could manage lunch." Winter smiled and planted a kiss on her forehead before taking the stair to the small loft area that held a small office. Turning back to the island, she began to unpack the contents. The singular plastic bag contained three smaller paper bags and a daily medication organizer, a purchase, the receipt showed, Winter had so courteously added on. Seeing the spread in front of her, she couldn't help but become a little self-conscious in front of Ruby.

"Can I help you?" She looked up at Ruby smiling across from her, request innocent and genuine. "You're going to organize them by day, right? I can help! And you can tell me about them if you want," she finished a little bashfully. She couldn't help but shake her head and smile.

"Only if you want."

"I do. Let's go." She was still smiling across from her, genuinely excited to help with the task at hand.

"This one," she said pulling out an orange bottle at random and opening the folder Dr. Ozpin gave her for reference, "I am to take every day in the morning after breakfast."

"What does it do?" She hesitated at Ruby's inquiry, a little unsure if she wanted to flesh this out as much as Ozpin did for her, but after brief consideration, she decided to share this with a person who honestly cared to be in the know, with a person she honestly cared for.

"This one.. will help stabilize my moods. What I have is called Bipolar Disorder.. it means that my moods by default can tend towards extremes, so this is to help balance that out."

"Like a..なんだっけ..like a see-saw? But when it goes up and down, the sides go too high or too low?" The analogy Ruby made in her mixed speech was so simple and concise that it took her aback in a way that relieved her. Ruby by default tended towards understanding with a certain eagerness that was a testament to her quality of being.

"Yeah.. that's a really good way to put it."

"I have a really bad story involving a see-saw I have to tell you someday," she chuckled as she pulled the organizer in front of her and opened it. "So one of those for each day. Fire away." Smiling to herself, she opened the bottle and deposited a pill into each day as Ruby opened them for her.

"This one I take in the morning with the first one. It helps with the mania, when the see-saw's gone to high.

"わかったよ," Ruby said, eliciting a chuckle from her as she began depositing the second of her prescriptions into the organizer.

"And this one I take at night to help with the lows." Wildly fortuitous, the organizer Winter purchased had a smaller partition in each day's section that catered to her situation perfectly. Like the rest, she deposited them into each day. "And that's the last one." Ruby closed each day's lid before pushing their completed project toward her. "Do you," she found herself wanting to reach for the finger that extended furthest past the plastic of the daily organizer, "..do you want to finish listening to that Portishead album? I could also stand to rest a bit before lunch. Winter may still take a while., so I'll send her a text to fetch us when lunch is ready." Her sister had been off base the entire time she was at Beacon. She imagined she had quite a few calls to make.

"Sounds like a plan," Ruby agreed. Standing from the island, they made their way to her room. "I still think this is the coolest thing." She saw Ruby marveling again at all the sketches that hung about.

"If you see any you like, you can have them," she offered as she collapsed onto her bed in joyous abandon, reveling in the increased comfort her mattress had over the one at Beacon. "Just don't get too carried away," she teased as Ruby wandered around and started taking note of her favorites. She couldn't keep from smiling as she watched her walk about and survey the "art" she made. She warmed a little recalling that Ruby thought her an artist. Maybe she could consider it. She unraveled the tangle of cords and removed them to allow for the music to play from her phone's speaker. Setting it on a shelf just above the headboard, she waited for whenever Ruby tired of her sketches. She closed her eyes and relaxed into the mattress. The comfort and familiarity of her home, of the people who presently occupied it with her surrounded her with a sense of.. safety? She felt safe, for lack of a better word. Not that she truly felt unsafe at any point during the past week or so, but something about being home suddenly filled her with a sense of security. It was strange, but not unwelcome. The bed dipped and a warmth started beside her. "Find any you like?"

"A couple," Ruby said after settling in beside her, their hair blending on the pillows once she did. "I had to narrow it down though. Honestly, they're all pretty amazing."

"There are dozens up there. Really, you could take as many as you want. It'll make room for new ones."

"Thanks. Also, let me know if I'm wearing you out at any point. I know you said you were tired so I don't want to keep you from a nap."

"You're fine." She dismissed the notion entirely as she leaned her head onto Ruby's. Her eyes were still closed but she could feel gunmetal tuning into her. Suddenly she felt how poignant the song playing at present was.

But I'm guilty of fear.

"Your company is always more than appreciated." And it truly was. She lowered her voice. "I like having you.. near." Her heart pulsed in her chest. Her confession was honest.

I'm sorry to remind you,

but I'm scared of what we're creating.

In that moment it was the definition of truth. She adored having Ruby around. Of all the people she could have met and befriended, of all the times it could have happened.. she still couldn't wrap her head around her, but maybe she didn't need to question it for rhyme or reason. Maybe the rhyme and reason was nothing more than Ruby being a person of exceptional quality and caring, radiantly jubilant. She extended her fingers, reaching, hesitant, her pulse drummed in her ears.

You don't get something for nothing, turn now.

Gotta try a little harder.

Drawing a terrified breath, she turned on her side, burying her face in Ruby's shoulder as she found her hand and twined their fingers. "Thank you," she quietly spoke against Ruby's arm. Ruby's hand tightened around hers and her heart slowed briefly before its pace quickened again when Ruby turned to face her.

"What for?" Her voice was quiet, curious, kindred.

"For being you." Her nerves were unsteady and her heart jumped wildly between various rudiments. "You've helped me realize a lot of myself.. just being who and how you are." There was a yearning in her chest, and she regretted not having the words to truly convey what she meant, what Ruby meant, to her, in this moment of rare, unabashed honesty. She had no words for it at the moment, but she had behavior. She moved closer into the warmth that radiated from her front, settling her head just under Ruby's chin and eliciting a chuckle from her.

"Your flyaway hairs are tickling my chin." Ruby was nonchalant, even as her free arm found its way around to her back, pulling her closer and playing with the shorter hairs at the base of her neck. "Weiss, you're one of the best people I've ever met. Thanks for letting me stick around." She laughed.

"I should be thanking you for that." She exhaled and relaxed into the touch as she played with the tips of Ruby's fingers, the scent of roses enveloping her. She knew this moment they were sharing meant something, but she couldn't ascribe a descriptor to it, didn't necessarily want to. She was more inclined to just experience the moment as presently as she was now able.

You don't get something for nothing, turn now.

Gotta try a little harder.

"I'm quite grateful for you.." Her voice was low, just barely a whisper. Ruby loosed a soft chuckle.

"私も."

It could be sweet.

…..

Author's Notes:

Each chapter, title and sporadic or general feel, correspond to songs. The chapter 'Make Something Good' in particular weaves together with Laura Veirs' entire album 'July Flame' in a really emotional way for me.. in my videogame (read 'my life'). Long story incredibly short, I have yet to, but will make a playlist on YT and add songs as more chapters surface.

Other asides, Weiss hasn't been wearing her hair in a ponytail throughout this fic. Thinking about making it a tender plot piece. Also, Ruby speaks mostly Japanese at home and throughout her day. She is more or ls colloquially fluent, but Ruby did live most of her life in Japan, so its still very pervasive in her speech, even when she is speaking in English. Also, I can't wait to reveal more of her character. This isn't simply about Weiss. Ruby is very much so a person too, as are the other core characters, and I can't wait to tell her story. Blake and Yang will be around as well. Weiss needs all her teammates, yeah? I'm absolutely looking forward to that relationship building.

Goodness.. I've said words, and many of them!

As always, thank you for reading, please look forward to more, and any fireflies I receive are honored.

Ivel